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o a mere sprinkling with water。＇2＇
＇1＇ See ch。 iii。
＇2＇ For the virtue supposed to reside in blood see Westermarck's Moral Ideas； Ch。 46。
To continue the quotation from Miss Harrison： 〃More often the new birth is stimulated； or imagined； as a death and a resurrection； either of the boys themselves or of some one else in their presence。 Thus at initiation among some tribes of South…east Australia； when the boys are assembled an old man dressed in stringy bark…fibre lies down in a grave。 He is covered up lightly with sticks and earth； and the grave is smoothed over。 The buried man holds in his hand a small bush which seems to be growing from the ground； and other bushes are stuck in the ground round about。 The novices are then brought to the edge of the grave and a song is sung。 Gradually； as the song goes on； the bush held by the buried man begins to quiver。 It moves more and more； and bit by bit the man himself starts up from the grave。〃
Strange in our own Baptismal Service and just before the actual christening we read these words； 〃Then shall the Priest say： O merciful God； grant that old Adam in this child may be so BURIED that the new man may be raised up in him： grant that all carnal affections may die in him； and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in him！〃 Can we doubt that the Australian medicine…man； standing at the graveside of the re…arisen old black…fellow； pointed the same moral to the young initiates as the priest does to…day to those assembled before him in churchfor indeed we know that among savage tribes initiations have always been before all things the occasions of moral and social teaching？ Can we doubt that he said； in substance if not in actual words： 〃As this man has arisen from the grave； so you must also arise from your old childish life of amusement and self…gratification and； ENTER INTO the life of the tribe； the life of the Spirit of the tribe。〃 〃In totemistic societies；〃 to quote Miss Harrison again； 〃and in the animal secret societies that seem to grow out of them； the novice is born again aS THE SACRED ANIMAL。 Thus among the Carrier Indians＇1＇ when a man wants to become a Lulem or 'Bear；' however cold the season he tears off his clothes； puts on a bear…skin and dashes into the woods； where he will stay for three or four days。 Every night his fellow…villagers will go out in search parties to find him。 They cry out Yi！ Kelulem （come on； Bear）； and he answers with angry growls。 Usually they fail to find him； but he comes back at last himself。 He is met； and conducted to the ceremonial lodge； and there in company with the rest of the Bears dances solemnly his first appearance。 Disappearance and reappearance is as common a rite in initiation as stimulated killing and resurrection； and has the same object。 Both are rites of transition； of passing from one to another。〃 In the Christian ceremonies the boy or girl puts away childish things and puts on the new man； but instead of putting on a bear…skin he puts on Christ。 There is not so much difference as may appear on the surface。 To be identified with your Totem is to be identified with the sacred being who watches over your tribe； who has given his life for your tribe； it is to be born again； to be washed not only with water but with the Holy Spirit of all your fellows。 To be baptized into Christ ought to mean to be regenerated in the Holy Spirit of all humanity； and no doubt in cases it does mean this； but too often unfortunately it has only amounted to a pretence of religious sanction given to the meanest and bitterest quarrels of the Churches and the States。
＇1＇ Golden Bough； Section 2； III； p。 438。
This idea of a New Birth at initiation explains the prevalent pagan custom of subjecting the initiates to serious ordeals； often painful and even dangerous。 If one is to be born again； obviously one must be ready to face death； the one thing cannot be without the other。 One must be able to endure pain； like the Red Indian braves； to go long periods fasting and without food or drink； like the choupan among the Western Inoitswho； wanders for whole nights over the ice…fields under the moon； scantily clothed and braving the intense cold； to overcome the very fear of death and danger； like the Australian novices who； at first terrified by the sound of the bull… roarer and threats of fire and the knife； learn finally to cast their fears away。＇1＇ By so doing one puts off the old childish things； and qualifies oneself by firmness and courage to become a worthy member of the society into which one is called。＇2＇ The rules of social life are taught the duty to one's tribe； and to oneself； truth… speaking； defence of women and children； the care of cattle； the meaning of sex and marriage； and even the mysteries of such religious ideas and rudimentary science as the tribe possesses。 And by so doing one really enters into a new life。 Things of the spiritual world begin to dawn。 Julius Firmicus； in describing the mysteries of the resurrection of Osiris；＇3＇ says that when the worshipers had satiated themselves with lamentations over the death of the god then the priest would go round anointing them with oil and whispering； 〃Be of good cheer； O Neophytes of the new… arisen God； for to us too from our pains shall come salvation。〃＇4＇
＇1＇ According to accounts of the Wiradthuri tribe of Western Australia； in their initiations； the lads were frightened by a large fire being lighted near them； and hearing the awful sound of the bull…roarers； while they were told that Dhuramoolan was about to burn them； the legend being that Dhuramoolan； a powerful being； whose voice sounded like thunder； would take the boys into the bush and instruct them in all the laws； traditions and customs of the community。 So he pretended that he always killed the boys； cut them up； and burnt them to ashes； after which he moulded the ashes into human shape； and restored them to life as new beings。 （See R。 H。 Matthews； 〃The Wiradthuri tribes；〃 Journal Anthrop。 Inst。； vol。 xxv； 1896； pp。 297 sq。）
＇2＇ See Catlin's North…American Indians； vol。 i； for initiations and ordeals among the Mandans。
＇3＇ De Errore； c。 22。
＇4＇
It would seem that at some very early time in the history of tribal and priestly initiations an attempt was made to impress upon the neophytes the existence and over… shadowing presence of spiritual and ghostly beings。 Perhaps the pains endured in the various ordeals； the long fastings； the silences in the depth of the forests or on the mountains or among the ice…floes； helped to rouse the visionary faculty。 The developments of this faculty among the black and colored peoplesEast…Indian； Burmese； African； American… Indian； etc。are well known。 Miss Alice Fletcher； who lived among the Omaha Indians for thirty years； gives a most interesting account＇1＇ of the general philosophy of that people and their rites of initiation。 〃The Omahas regard all animate and inanimate forms； all phenomena； as pervaded by a common life； which was continuous with and similar to the will…power they were conscious of in themselves。 This mysterious power in all things they called Wako